I leave for my three week tour of northern Japan in an hour. As posted last week, I’ll start by traveling to Mt. Osorezan and Hakodate with Joe and then bike around Hokkaido for more than two weeks. The trip should be great. I’ll be with good friends, seeing historic and scenic sights, and getting great exercise as I bike 40-70 miles a day. I am also hoping that the trip will help me cope with a problem I have. Because recently I’m become aware that I have a problem: information addiction.
My problem is different than internet addiction, which has been described as an addiction to socialization:
Since the aspects of the Internet where people are spending the greatest amount of time online have to do with social interactions, it would appear that socialization is what makes the Internet so “addicting.” That’s right—plain old hanging out with other people and talking with them. Whether it’s via e-mail, a discussion forum, chat, or a game online, people are spending this time exchanging information, support, and chit-chat with other people like themselves.
Part of my problem may be the socialization aspect, associating with intelligent minds in the ComingAnarchy comments section and other forums and blogs on the internet. But for me, I find that the information aspect of the Internet experience is core to my problem. I have to know the latest breaking news. Even if nothing is happening, I have to know what that nothing is. When I am near a computer, I have to check the news. When I am away from my computer, I have to check the news with my cell phone. I check the news when I wake up in the morning, and it keeps me from going to bed at night. And I fear that my addiction to information has a detrimental affect on my quality of life that may grow worse over time.
Over the next two to three weeks, I will be biking around the most remote region of Japan with just a few stiches of clothing, far from internet cafes and air conditioning. My cell phone will be out of range more often than not, and I will be unable to feed my information habit. Hopefully, this will be something of a cure—and I’ll let readers know (many of whom may suffer from the same problem) how this cold turkey solution works when I return.
I won’t be autoposting like my dear colleague but I may post travel photos while on the road if possible. Failing that, I’ll see you in September.
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COMMENTS / 6 COMMENTS
Joe added these pithy words on 14 Aug 06 at 12:42 pmYou hope your cell phone will be out of range. Yesterday, I went up Nokogiriyama, Odake-san and Mitake-san, and never lost signal once, even though there was no civilization to be seen anywhere. (Of course, that might have been because we were surrounded by trees and fog, but still, we were way the hell out there).
Anyway, look forward to an interesting vacation in the great white green north!
Gollios added these pithy words on 14 Aug 06 at 1:26 pmHave a great trip and I hope this ‘long cure’ works. If it doesn’t we’ll have to put together a twelve-step program for you.
mark safranski added these pithy words on 14 Aug 06 at 9:50 pmHave a great trip Curzon – it’s healthy to unplug once in a while.
Steve G. added these pithy words on 15 Aug 06 at 9:41 amI returned two weeks ago from a week at the John C. Campbell School of Folk Arts – a week of wood carving classes! No TV, no internet, no PDA, cell phone only worked in two small areas of the compound. It was easy to cut all the ties like that. Easier than being around the beasts and trying not to use them.
Shortly after I got home, I fired up the computer and started back down into the opium den of web logs. No matter how long you’re away, the addiction is just as strong as when you left.
Keep coming back…
staypuftman added these pithy words on 15 Aug 06 at 5:43 pmCurzon, I dont agree with everything you say (by a long shot) but this post hits a little to close to home I guess. I feel you in a weird way but I dont even know if addiction is the right word here. I guess if you cant live without it, it’s technically an addiction. I think a more proper term would be ‘intellectual loneliness’ and you are just looking for stimulating conversation/information wherever you can find it.
I did a month in some very random parts of Mexico with nothing but a friend and some clothes and it became very clear to me that the fewer things you have, the more you learn how to enjoy what is around you. Funny that my two most important possessions seem to be my laptop and bicycle – ha.
best of luck
john
Chirol added these pithy words on 18 Aug 06 at 2:47 pmJust returned from Italy. I missed the ceasfire in Lebanon and all. But I have to agree with Mark that it’s important to unplug sometimes, even though I’m just as addicted as you in the same ways.
